KEZIE Apps' first game for NSW came in 2014 in what ultimately turned out to be Queensland great Karen Murphy's last for the Maroons. Apps somewhat sheepishly admits, she didn't know who Murphy was. She does now of course, like most people she recognises the now head of the NRL Integrity Unit as the GOAT in women's footy. Five years on Apps is on a similar trajectory herself. You can bet the seven Blues debutants she'll skipper in next Friday's women's State of Origin clash know exactly who she is. The Queenslanders to. Thanks to Apps, they'll all know exactly who Murphy is as well, a long with a host of other past greats. It's a responsibility she takes as seriously as captain as anything she does on the park. "Looking back at my first [NSW] game at Leichhardt Oval I remember just being so nervous and everyone talking about the big names in the Queensland team," Apps said. "I had no idea who they were. I just went out and played footy but I've watched that game again a couple of times since and seeing the names I was up against... it was the first game I played against Karen Murphy before she retired and she's a legend of the game and has got it to where it is today. "Now in camp we always talk about the past players making sure the girls know how far it has come, it hasn't always been this good. "The places we stay and how well we're looked after... it's never really been like this and we always make sure we reflect on the past and remind the new girls this is only a couple of years old and it's hopefully going to get bigger and better." She might have felt a little awestruck that day, but Apps certainly stamped herself on that level of footy, scoring a long range solo try and playing her first game for the Jillaroos just months later. She's now a walk-up start in both teams, as well as a full time ambassador for St George Illawarra, her NRLW club. She took Kickoff's call en route from yet another clinic but, as long as the days can be, it still doesn't quite feel like work. The weekly 10-hour return trips from Bega to play for Helensburgh when she started her career were certainly a much tougher slog. It's that experience, as much as what she contributes on the paddock, that made new coach Andy Patmore make putting the c next to her name one of his first decisions as Blues coach - though she's still getting used to the title. "It sounds so weird. Every time someone says it to me it puts a massive smile on my face," she said. "It was such a big shock when Andy told me, it's such a huge honour and I'm so grateful and so thankful to get that opportunity. "It'll come to that moment when it's time for us to run out onto the field, you'll probably see a massive smile on my face when I lead the girls out at North Sydney Oval. "My role won't change a lot, I'll still just try and lead by example and hopefully we can do enough to beat the Queenslanders." While the rapid growth of the game inevitably draws comparisons to the past, Patmore's squad for this year's Origin is very much a look to the future, with seven debutants including Port Kembla's Shakiah Tungai. Read more: Steelers dominate NSW junior squad It's almost unprecedented turnover, but Apps says it's a nod to the wider pathways players have to the arena, with performances at the recent national championships - won by NSW City - holding greater weight than past deeds in the jumper. "That's the good thing about the growth of the game, there's so much talent out there now," Apps said. "With the national championships that have just taken place a lot of girls got the opportunity to showcase really good footy and that's how the NSW team was picked, off the back of that. "We've got seven debutants in the squad this year off the back of their great footy so it's a great pathway to play for the Blues. I'm getting to feel like a bit of an old duck now going into it, I've been around a little while. "I do feel like a bit of a newbie but I am getting old. Some of the girls didn't realise how old I actually was and keep telling me to stop thinking about retiring but it comes down to the support we've been getting from the NRL, from the NSW Rugby League, Country Rugby League and Queensland Rugby League - financially as well - to be able to put the time and effort into us and being able to work on those skills so we can produce the best product." Unlike most of her NSW predecessors, Apps has only really known success against the Maroons - that debut at Leichhardt Oval aside - and she can sense in Jillaroos camp just how much that riles the Queenslanders, some who were part of a 17-year streak of dominance at interstate level. That's something else Apps is quick to remind her young side of. "People like [Queensland veterans] Steph Hancock and Heather Ballinger have been around the game for a long time and were part of those sides that used to beat us for 17 years straight," Apps said. "The last three years we've beaten Queensland and they just can't retire yet until they beat us again. I think that's why they're still sticking around. "I don't know why they're thinking about retiring because they're still playing so well, but they're hungry for that win and hungry for that trophy back. We're not going to give it to them, we after 17 in a row as well. "We're only up to three so we'll have it for another couple of years."

KEZIE Apps' first game for NSW came in 2014 in what ultimately turned out to be Queensland great Karen Murphy's last for the Maroons.

Apps somewhat sheepishly admits, she didn't know who Murphy was. She does now of course, like most people she recognises the now head of the NRL Integrity Unit as the GOAT in women's footy.

Five years on Apps is on a similar trajectory herself. You can bet the seven Blues debutants she'll skipper in next Friday's women's State of Origin clash know exactly who she is. The Queenslanders to.

Thanks to Apps, they'll all know exactly who Murphy is as well, a long with a host of other past greats. It's a responsibility she takes as seriously as captain as anything she does on the park.

"Looking back at my first [NSW] game at Leichhardt Oval I remember just being so nervous and everyone talking about the big names in the Queensland team," Apps said.

"I had no idea who they were. I just went out and played footy but I've watched that game again a couple of times since and seeing the names I was up against... it was the first game I played against Karen Murphy before she retired and she's a legend of the game and has got it to where it is today.

"Now in camp we always talk about the past players making sure the girls know how far it has come, it hasn't always been this good.

"The places we stay and how well we're looked after... it's never really been like this and we always make sure we reflect on the past and remind the new girls this is only a couple of years old and it's hopefully going to get bigger and better."

She might have felt a little awestruck that day, but Apps certainly stamped herself on that level of footy, scoring a long range solo try and playing her first game for the Jillaroos just months later.

She's now a walk-up start in both teams, as well as a full time ambassador for St George Illawarra, her NRLW club. She took Kickoff's call en route from yet another clinic but, as long as the days can be, it still doesn't quite feel like work.

The weekly 10-hour return trips from Bega to play for Helensburgh when she started her career were certainly a much tougher slog.

It's that experience, as much as what she contributes on the paddock, that made new coach Andy Patmore make putting the c next to her name one of his first decisions as Blues coach - though she's still getting used to the title.

"It sounds so weird. Every time someone says it to me it puts a massive smile on my face," she said.

"It was such a big shock when Andy told me, it's such a huge honour and I'm so grateful and so thankful to get that opportunity.

"It'll come to that moment when it's time for us to run out onto the field, you'll probably see a massive smile on my face when I lead the girls out at North Sydney Oval.

"My role won't change a lot, I'll still just try and lead by example and hopefully we can do enough to beat the Queenslanders."

While the rapid growth of the game inevitably draws comparisons to the past, Patmore's squad for this year's Origin is very much a look to the future, with seven debutants including Port Kembla's Shakiah Tungai.

It's almost unprecedented turnover, but Apps says it's a nod to the wider pathways players have to the arena, with performances at the recent national championships - won by NSW City - holding greater weight than past deeds in the jumper.

"That's the good thing about the growth of the game, there's so much talent out there now," Apps said.

"With the national championships that have just taken place a lot of girls got the opportunity to showcase really good footy and that's how the NSW team was picked, off the back of that.

"We've got seven debutants in the squad this year off the back of their great footy so it's a great pathway to play for the Blues. I'm getting to feel like a bit of an old duck now going into it, I've been around a little while.

"I do feel like a bit of a newbie but I am getting old. Some of the girls didn't realise how old I actually was and keep telling me to stop thinking about retiring but it comes down to the support we've been getting from the NRL, from the NSW Rugby League, Country Rugby League and Queensland Rugby League - financially as well - to be able to put the time and effort into us and being able to work on those skills so we can produce the best product."

Unlike most of her NSW predecessors, Apps has only really known success against the Maroons - that debut at Leichhardt Oval aside - and she can sense in Jillaroos camp just how much that riles the Queenslanders, some who were part of a 17-year streak of dominance at interstate level.

That's something else Apps is quick to remind her young side of.

"People like [Queensland veterans] Steph Hancock and Heather Ballinger have been around the game for a long time and were part of those sides that used to beat us for 17 years straight," Apps said.

"The last three years we've beaten Queensland and they just can't retire yet until they beat us again. I think that's why they're still sticking around.

"I don't know why they're thinking about retiring because they're still playing so well, but they're hungry for that win and hungry for that trophy back. We're not going to give it to them, we after 17 in a row as well.

"We're only up to three so we'll have it for another couple of years."